Although I'm quite the mutt (Scottish, Irish, Cherokee), the majority of my lineage is German, an ethnic group that is mostly overlooked it seems. Having lived in Germany for a couple years, I got to experience a lot of the culture and history first hand, and I think it's kinda sad that more people of German descent don't explore their heritage a bit more. They're missing out on a very colorful history. A few facts about Germans in America: 1) Germans are the largest ethnic group in the US, yet we've never asked for everything to be bi-lingual, nor do we have a "German History Month". We assimilated into the culture. 2) Germans were among the first people to settle at Jamestown. 3) During World War One, thousands of American Germans were imprisoned for opposing the war. Thousands more were forced to buy war bonds to demonstrate their "loyalty". One man was hanged in Illinois, for no other reason than that he was of German descent. The killers were found innocent of the crime and the hanging was called an act of patriotism by a jury. A Minnesota minister was tarred and feathered when he was overheard praying in German with a dying woman. Yet you hear nothing of these things. 4) During World War 2, under the still active Alien Enemy Act of 1798, the United States government interned nearly 11,000 German Americans between 1940 and 1948. My own father was questioned about his family by "officials" who came to his grammar school. But all you hear about are the Japanese internment camps. Here are a few famous Germans. Maybe you've heard of them. Albert Einstein Dwight Eisenhower Ludwig Heinrich Gehrig "Lou Gehrig" Rudolf Diesel Chester Nimitz Gen. John Pershing Friedrich von Steuben - Trained the Continental army under Washington Not to mention.... Germans have the best food and beer.... period. So any other Germans, at least explore that part of your culture. Find a good German restaurant, have the first "real" beer of your life and order up a Jaegerschnitzel and some spaetzle. You'll love it. Any other Krauts around here?
Checking in Herr Blackjack. 7/8 German 1/8 Choctaw I had an oppurtunity to visit the German War Cemetary at El Alamein, Egypt. 30,000 Germans died in that battle. There are over 5000 entombed in the monument near the ocean. The names are engraved on the walls. I found several with my family name. A very sobering experience. My Grandfather and my Great Uncles were all very stalwart, strong, silent types. They didn't brag about things or complain. They just went out and did what needed to be done. An Aunt traced our family tree to Chicago in the mid 1800's. We believe that my Grandfathers GreatGrandfather came over here originally. We have his son in Chicago but cannot find any record of him in NY or coming through Ellis Island. A very hardy race. I hadn't heard of the mistreatments during WWll. But that is par for the course with them. They don't gripe and complain and whine. They just go on with life. This isn't the Cemetary but the War Museum at El Alamein. I have some pics of the monument at home. I'll post later. http://survivalmonkey.com/forum/showthread.php?p=4510&highlight=Alamein#post4510
Reparations,blackjack? Is that what your after? rhamsnitzel ( white onion gravy),und heffe wiessen bitte ( wiesbaden/ kiaserslautern 89-93)
You were in K-town 89-92? Dude! I was stationed in near Mannheim during that same timeframe. 512th Maint Co. and AMFL. If you by chance went to the K-town boxing championships in '90.... you saw me fight.
I married a (sour)Kraut. Interesting facts that you present. The language thing is a big sore spot with my MIL. When she hears folks talking in a foreign language in the grocery store, she goes right up to them and tells them to speak English (in her really thick accent )! She comments, "I had to learn the language. They can, too!"
Sorry wife corrected me, we arrived Wiesbaden (LINDSEY air station) Oct 91,(Superintendant afosi district 7 tech services ,which became combined support det 549 in kaiserslautern after lindsey AS closed. Returned dec94, spent alot of that time in abit of a fog (right sided stroke jan 92) I get my time line mixed up.. been past mannhiem on the autobahn many times..never attended any sports events sorry...
